Immersive Videos Improve Student Self-Efficacy in Clinical Lactation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Lactation Support

Background:

• Clinical lactation education often requires direct patient interaction, which can be limited in academic settings.
• Interpersonal skills are crucial for effective lactation support.
• Immersive technologies offer potential solutions for simulating clinical experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of immersive technology in improving access to high-quality interpersonal breastfeeding interactions.
• To assess the impact of immersive consultation videos and activities on student self-efficacy, motivation, and perceived skills in a clinical lactation course.

Main Methods:

• An undergraduate clinical lactation course incorporated immersive consultation videos and related interactive activities.
• Student self-efficacy, motivational beliefs, and perceived skill levels were measured.
• Usability of the immersive technology was also assessed.

Main Results:

• Participants reported high usability of the immersive videos, interactives, and activities.
• Students showed a significant increase in self-efficacy and perceived ability to meet course objectives.
• No significant changes were observed in the level of interest or perceived skill.

Conclusions:

• High-quality immersive videos are a valuable tool for teaching clinical skills in lactation education.
• Immersive technology can effectively supplement or replace direct patient care experiences when access is limited.
• This approach enhances student confidence and their ability to achieve learning outcomes in lactation consulting.